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Imposter Syndrome at school/university 💛 - tips from The Mix & upReach ✨
Gemma
Community Manager Posts: 1,138 Wise Owl
Has anyone experienced that feeling of Imposter Syndrome, particularly within education? If you have, do you have any tips to share on overcoming that feeling? 💛
We teamed up with upReach to share some tips of our own...
Alt text spoilered:
We teamed up with upReach to share some tips of our own...
Alt text spoilered:
Have you ever felt like you didn't fit in with a new group of people? Or that you're just not good enough? Well, you might have imposter syndrome.
This is completely natural - but that doesn't mean you should have to endure it. We've teamed up with upReach, a charity that supports university students from lower socio-economic backgrounds, to hear their tips for overcoming your inner imposter.
Imposter syndrome manifests in different ways, but it essentially involves feeling like a fraud who hasn't truly earned their accomplishments. You may have experienced it after starting university; for example, if you're struggling with your course, you may feel as though you don't deserve your place on it.
While it may not seem like it, this is a very common feeling among university students - particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds. Fore example, if you're the first in your family to go to university, you may feel out of place because perhaps you did not grow up thinking it was an option for you.
Despite this disconnect, there is no reason why you should have to change yourself in order to 'fit in'. You don't need to hide your background, or change your accent, or incorporate new words into your vocabulary. If anyone makes you feel uncomfortable being yourself, it might be a good idea to try distancing yourself from them.
Creating a support network you can rely on is an important way of overcoming imposter syndrome. Check out your Students Union for societies, created by students with characteristics that you share, as joining them can help foster a sense of belonging. There are often SU representatives who act as the voice for different groups including women, ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ students and even students from the North of England.
Remember to also keep in touch with your friends from home. It can be a struggle at first, trying to balance your uni course with the excitement of making new friends, but when things settle down, make sure not to neglect your old friendships.
If you're struggling with your course at university and it's making you feel like you're not good enough to be there, it can be helpful to remind yourself of your past accomplishments; getting accepted into university is no mean feat! You wouldn't have gotten in if you weren't able to do it.
To help you understand your course better, you can attend your lecturers' or seminar tutors' office hours. If you're nervous about going to office hours for the first time, pick your favourite tutor and approach them at the end of a lecture to say hi and ask what you can expect from their office hours.
If you're from a working class background, you may have had less exposure to professional jobs than some of your peers at university. This may contribute to feelings of imposter syndrome, if you find yourself stuck in conversations you have no idea how to contribute to.
We recommend taking advantage of opportunities such as support for all students at your university or initiatives specifically for those form underrepresented backgrounds. This could be bursaries, mentorship schemes and exclusive internships for those with particular characteristics. You can also get an additional helping hand from charities like upReach, which specifically supports students from lower socio-economic backgrounds with their career development.
Imposter syndrome isn't great to experience - but you don't have to suffer in silence. If you ever start feeling like you don't deserve your accomplishments, why not lessen the burden by sharing your struggles with someone else? Chances are, they've also experienced it themselves.
For more information and support, visit:
This is completely natural - but that doesn't mean you should have to endure it. We've teamed up with upReach, a charity that supports university students from lower socio-economic backgrounds, to hear their tips for overcoming your inner imposter.
Imposter syndrome manifests in different ways, but it essentially involves feeling like a fraud who hasn't truly earned their accomplishments. You may have experienced it after starting university; for example, if you're struggling with your course, you may feel as though you don't deserve your place on it.
While it may not seem like it, this is a very common feeling among university students - particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds. Fore example, if you're the first in your family to go to university, you may feel out of place because perhaps you did not grow up thinking it was an option for you.
Despite this disconnect, there is no reason why you should have to change yourself in order to 'fit in'. You don't need to hide your background, or change your accent, or incorporate new words into your vocabulary. If anyone makes you feel uncomfortable being yourself, it might be a good idea to try distancing yourself from them.
Creating a support network you can rely on is an important way of overcoming imposter syndrome. Check out your Students Union for societies, created by students with characteristics that you share, as joining them can help foster a sense of belonging. There are often SU representatives who act as the voice for different groups including women, ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ students and even students from the North of England.
Remember to also keep in touch with your friends from home. It can be a struggle at first, trying to balance your uni course with the excitement of making new friends, but when things settle down, make sure not to neglect your old friendships.
If you're struggling with your course at university and it's making you feel like you're not good enough to be there, it can be helpful to remind yourself of your past accomplishments; getting accepted into university is no mean feat! You wouldn't have gotten in if you weren't able to do it.
To help you understand your course better, you can attend your lecturers' or seminar tutors' office hours. If you're nervous about going to office hours for the first time, pick your favourite tutor and approach them at the end of a lecture to say hi and ask what you can expect from their office hours.
If you're from a working class background, you may have had less exposure to professional jobs than some of your peers at university. This may contribute to feelings of imposter syndrome, if you find yourself stuck in conversations you have no idea how to contribute to.
We recommend taking advantage of opportunities such as support for all students at your university or initiatives specifically for those form underrepresented backgrounds. This could be bursaries, mentorship schemes and exclusive internships for those with particular characteristics. You can also get an additional helping hand from charities like upReach, which specifically supports students from lower socio-economic backgrounds with their career development.
Imposter syndrome isn't great to experience - but you don't have to suffer in silence. If you ever start feeling like you don't deserve your accomplishments, why not lessen the burden by sharing your struggles with someone else? Chances are, they've also experienced it themselves.
For more information and support, visit:
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